NOTE: Additional useful packages include: {rasterVis} (raster visualisation), {mapdata} and {maps} (various map datasets), {OpenStreetMap} (access OSM data), {plotGoogleMaps}.
Also install the packages {rgbif}, {spocc}, and {dismo}, which provide access to Global Biodiversity Information Facility data.
Finally, download the folder called "GISDATA" from our GitHub data repository to your desktop.
library(sp) # classes and methods for spatial (vector) data
library(raster) # classes and methods for grids, raster data
library(rgdal) # R bindings for the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library... input/output, projections## rgdal: version: 1.2-4, (SVN revision 643)
## Geospatial Data Abstraction Library extensions to R successfully loaded
## Loaded GDAL runtime: GDAL 1.11.4, released 2016/01/25
## Path to GDAL shared files: /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/3.3/Resources/library/rgdal/gdal
## Loaded PROJ.4 runtime: Rel. 4.9.1, 04 March 2015, [PJ_VERSION: 491]
## Path to PROJ.4 shared files: /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/3.3/Resources/library/rgdal/proj
## Linking to sp version: 1.2-3
library(maptools) # tools for reading and handling spatial objects... input/output, projections## Checking rgeos availability: TRUE
library(tmap) # thematic maps
library(ggmap) # map extension to ggplot2; allows downloading of maps from various web servers## Loading required package: ggplot2
## Google Maps API Terms of Service: http://developers.google.com/maps/terms.
## Please cite ggmap if you use it: see citation("ggmap") for details.
library(GISTools) # eye candy for maps plus other functions## Loading required package: RColorBrewer
## Loading required package: MASS
##
## Attaching package: 'MASS'
## The following objects are masked from 'package:raster':
##
## area, select
## Loading required package: rgeos
## rgeos version: 0.3-21, (SVN revision 540)
## GEOS runtime version: 3.4.2-CAPI-1.8.2 r3921
## Linking to sp version: 1.2-3
## Polygon checking: TRUE
library(plotKML) # can read .gpx and can write KML files## plotKML version 0.5-6 (2016-05-02)
## URL: http://plotkml.r-forge.r-project.org/
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is used for organization, visualization, and analysis of spatial data.
Involves:
Digital data - the information you will view and analyze using computer software and hardware
Computer hardware - computers/servers uses for storing, visualizing, and processing data
Computer software - programs (e.g., R, QGIS, ArcGIS, spatial databases) and functions run on hardware that allow you to work with digital data
GIS data typically includes geographical data (e.g., coordinates) plus nongeographical attributes.
The big dvantage of GIS is that it allows great flexibility to visualize data in different ways plus allows for many types of computationally-heavy manipulation and analysis of data.
GIS data are visualized as layers.